The Empath (episode)
On a doomed planet Kirk, Spock, and McCoy become the subjects of an alien experiment whose mysterious intention involves a beautiful, empathic woman. Summary The ''Enterprise'' is ordered to evacuate a research station on a planet whose sun, Minara, is about to go nova. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down to the planet, but find the six-month old research station abandoned. Informed of an imminent solar flare with high levels of cosmic rays, Kirk orders the Enterprise to leave orbit, reasoning that the landing party will be protected by the planet's atmosphere during the 74.1 solar hours it will take for the flare to subside. Upon consulting a visual tape recording, the landing party discovers that the two researchers, Drs. Ozaba and Linke, mysteriously disappeared three months ago. Soon after this discovery the landing party similarly vanishes. Act One Moments later Kirk, Spock, and McCoy find themselves 121.32 meters below the planet's surface, transported by a matter-energy scrambler similar to the transporter. After wandering through a cavern, they encounter a humanoid woman reclining on a dimly lit, cross-shaped couch. McCoy wants to go forward because she looks harmless, but Spock reminds him that the sand-bats of Manark IV look like inanimate rock crystals until they attack. The woman awakes but does not respond to Kirk's questions. McCoy determines that she does not have any vocal cords, not even vestigial, indicating that she comes from a species of mutes. Kirk observes that she is like the naturally mute people of the civilization on Gamma Vertis IV. McCoy names her Gem. Two different humanoid aliens suddenly appear to the landing party. Identifying themselves as Vians, Thann and Lal, they make it clear that they know the identities of the landing party. They demand that Kirk not interfere, and when he approaches they stun him with a hand-held control device with a red button on the face. Kirk points out that if the Vians know who they are, they also must know that they come in peace and the prime directive prohibits interference. The Vians momentarily trap the landing party in a force field while they attend to Gem. McCoy tells Kirk not to fight the force field since it interferes with the body's metabolism. The Vians correct McCoy's hypothesis, saying that the field draws its strength from their bodies' energy, and the more they resist the stronger the field becomes. They depart and the field vanishes. Kirk has suffered a cut on his forehead, and when he touches Gem to see if she is all right, she recoils in pain. Gem composes herself and then touches Kirk's wound. With a flash, the wound is transferred to Gem's forehead. A doubting Kirk touches her wound and notes the blood on his finger. Suddenly, the wound on Gem's forehead heals as well. McCoy, observing, is clearly impressed by her ability to heal and surmises that Gem is an Empath. Her emotional system is so sensitive that it feels another's pain and that pain becomes part of her, before she dissipates it. Spock finds that his tricorder now gives readings of electronically sophisticated devices. They find a laboratory and Linke and Ozaba trapped in clear tubes, their bodies twisted in pain. Act Two There are also tubes for McCoy, Kirk and Spock. One of the Vians appears and says there is need for more testing. He blames the weakness of their bodies. While Kirk talks, Spock sneaks up behind and gives the Vian a Vulcan nerve pinch. As the landing party walks off toward a passage to the surface Spock has located, the Vian arises. Apparently the nerve pinch had no effect. He joins his companion, and they share a look that indicates they are impressed with the crew. At the surface, Kirk finds his communicator is out of range. He leads the landing party through a storm back to the research station, where Scotty and two redshirts are waiting for them. Spock and McCoy go ahead with Gem, but Kirk spots the Vians watching them and stops. He moves toward them, but they stun him and comment, "Their will to survive is great. They love life greatly to struggle so. The prime ingredient." When Spock and the others reach the research station, Scotty and the redshirts vanish. Gem brings Spock and McCoy back to where Kirk is confronting the Vians. They announce that they only need one specimen, so Kirk sends the others back to the ship. The Vians transport them away, and then recapture Kirk. The Vians bring Kirk back to the laboratory. Here, where the bodies of Ozaba and Linke are displayed like specimens, the Vians chain a shirtless Kirk by his arms to the ceiling. They tell him they want to witness his courage and will to survive. Using their hand devices, they torture Kirk. Spock and McCoy have been transported to the chamber where they originally met Gem. When Kirk and Gem are also transported there, Spock and McCoy are trapped in a force field. With McCoy's encouragement, Gem heals Kirk's wounds. When she finishes, she collapses. The process is physically draining, and apparently has its limits. The Vians return and indicate that for their next experiemental subject Kirk must choose either Spock or McCoy. To make the decision all the more difficult, the Vians indicate that there is a 93% chance that Spock will suffer brain damage and permanent insanity, and a 87% chance that McCoy will die. Act Three Spock analyzes a Vian hand device. McCoy, uncomfortable with the wait, comments that it's not natural for a Human to live underground. Spock points out that some Humans spend the majority of their lives "beneath the surface." McCoy responds, "I'm a doctor, not a coal miner." Spock tells McCoy that he is recording his notes in the tricorder in the event that he is taken by the Vians so that McCoy and Kirk can continue his work and escape. Plagued with symptoms resembling the bends, Kirk is caught off guard by McCoy, who renders Kirk unconscious with a hypospray. Now in command, Spock declares that he will go with the Vians at the appointed time, but McCoy renders Spock unconscious as well, intending to sacrifice himself for his two friends. All of these noble efforts at self-sacrifice are observed by Gem. Taken to the Vians' laboratory, McCoy undergoes extensive torture. Meanwhile, now awake, Spock has come to understand the Vian hand-held devices. They are control units, not control mechanisms--they are not a mechanical device at all. They are tuned to the pattern of electrical energy of the person who uses it and are activated by mental commands. Being most familiar with his own brain pattern, Spock retunes the device to his own brain pattern. Kirk points out that it is strange that the Vians let them keep the device if they would be able to understand it. They must want Spock and Kirk to escape, leaving McCoy behind. Spock completes the modifications and says he may only be able to effect one transport. He suggests there is enough energy to go to the Enterprise, but Kirk would prefer to go to McCoy. Spock transports Kirk, Gem, and himself to the laboratory, where they find Bones on the verge of death and the Vians nowhere to be found. Act Four Spock and Kirk release McCoy from his chains. He is in bad shape; with barely a pulse, he has severe heart damage, congestion in both lungs, and his circulatory system is in danger of collapse. He is bleeding into the chest, his spleen and liver are hemorrhaging, and his kidneys have 70% failure. Spock informs Jim that McCoy is dying and the best he can do is make him comfortable. McCoy compliments Spock on his bedside manner. Kirk suggests that Gem could heal McCoy, but he is not sure if the attempt will kill her. At least, he hopes, she can improve his condition so that he can be healed on the Enterprise. Suddenly the Vians appear and trap Spock and Kirk in a force field; they demand that the Humans not interfere and allow Gem to make her own choice without urging or forcing. It is their wish to see if Gem will attempt to help McCoy on her own at the cost of her own life -- the completion of their test. At this time they explain to Kirk, Spock, and the dying McCoy that they have been part of an experiment. They have the power to save one species from the impending nova, and so they wished to test whether Gem's species is worthy of being saved. Apparently the Vians want to be certain that she has learned the principles of self-sacrifice, the will to survive, the passion to know, and the love of life from her contact with the Humans. These qualities, they say, make a civilization worthy to survive. As they speak, Gem has approached McCoy. The Vians are pleased that compassion has entered her "life-system." She moves her hands on McCoy's face, transferring his injuries to her. McCoy awakes, but Gem collapses, sobbing. She tries to help him more, but moves away in fear. Inside the force field, Spock points out that Gem is not the only one who can save Gem: of course, the Vians must have the power to help. The Vians respond that McCoy's life is not important, but what is important is their experiment. McCoy starts coughing and Gem returns to his side. McCoy asks that Gem not touch him. If she touches him, she will die, and he cannot take life -- even to save his own. Spock realizes that if he and Kirk were to suppress their emotion, they would be able to escape from the force field. They escape, and Spock takes the other control device. Kirk demands that the Vians save McCoy, but they refuse, demanding that the experiment continue. Offering to give her life, they say, is not sufficient. She must sacrifice her life. Kirk gives the Vians their control devices and reprimands them. They have forgotten what it means to feel the emotions they want Gem to experience. He scorns their lack of love and compassion, saying that they are nothing but intellect. The Vians heal McCoy and, taking Gem with them, teleport from the laboratory, presumably to save Gem's species. The landing party returns safely to the Enterprise, which has resumed orbit after the solar flare. Back on board, Kirk says he is awed by the element of chance that brought them into contact with Gem. Scotty observes that she must have been like the 'pearl of great price' (Matthew 13:45-46 of the humans' Christian Bible). McCoy is pleased that, in the end, it was human emotion that defeated the Vian intellect. Log Entries *''Captain’s log, stardate 5121.5. Orbiting the second planet in the Minarian star system. This star has long given evidence of entering a nova phase and six months ago, a research station was established to make close-up studies of the star as its end approaches. Minara is now entering a critical period, and the Enterprise has been ordered to evacuate the station before the planet becomes uninhabitable. Yet our attempts to contact the station's personnel have been, so far, unsuccessful. '' Memorable Quotes "Well, she seems harmless enough." "The sand bats of Manark IV appear to be inanimate rock crystals... until they attack." : - McCoy and Spock "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to call her ''Gem." " Gem, doctor?" "''Well, it's better than ''Hey, you." : - '''McCoy' and Spock "I'm a doctor, not a coal miner." : - McCoy "I was convinced in the same manner you were, Captain... by the good doctor's hypo." : - Spock "The best defense is a strong offense, and I intend to start offending right now." : - '''Kirk' "You've got a good bedside manner, Spock." : - McCoy "This Arena of Death that you've devised for your pleasure... will it prevent this catastrophe?" : - Kirk "If death is all you understand, here are four lives for you. We ''will not leave our friend." : - '''Kirk' Background Information Story and Script * This episode was written by Joyce Muskat, one of only three fans who were able to sell scripts to the original series. Robert Justman recommended that her script and Jean Lisette Aroeste's two scripts be bought, and David Gerrold was able to make his first professional sale, The Trouble with Tribbles, during the second season. Revised final draft , filmed late July, early August. * According to IMDB, this was the only TV or film script Joyce Muskat has ever sold. * This was one of the few episodes to mention explicitly Scripture from the Bible, specifically Psalm 95, verse 4: "In His hands are the deep places of the Earth. The heights of the mountains are his also"; and the Gospel of Matthew, 13:45-46: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." * "The Empath" has similarities to a 'The Outer Limits' episode called "Nightmare". In that episode, humans are brutally interrogated by aliens in a minimalistic set. John Erman also directed "Nightmare", and Willard Sage (Thann) was one of the people behind the interrogations. Both this episode and have an unmistakable 'Twilight Zone' feel. Furthermore, in addition to Willard Sage, "Nightmare" also featured Whit Bissell, David Frankham, Paul Stader, John Anderson, Bernard Kates and of course Vic Perrin as the "control voice". Also, Robert Justman was behind the scenes on that Outer Limits episode as the assistant director. Effects * The sound effect of the Vians' lab can also be heard in Norman's lab in . * The footage of the Minaran sun is stock footage from . This and the shuttlecraft footage reused in mark the only appearances of first-season view screen stock used in the third season. * Some of the ship fly-bys in this episode show a red planet and some show a gold planet. Sets and Props * The helical staircase in the station would be reused in . * The couch itself is a gigantic version of the agonizers seen in and . It was first seen as the Eymorg's table in . * The sound stage was surrounded by black curtains to create the bizarre, stark setting of the Vians' experiment. This approach also saved on set costs. At the time, fanzine articles stated that the episode's set design and general ambience were meant to suggest Expressionist art. Production * This is the only episode whose first-act credits open on a completely black background. * A minor continuity error occurs when the landing party first encounters Gem: she is lying on the red triangular center of the dais, but in a close-up she is on the golden carpet that surrounds it. * McCoy's tunic goes from polyester before he's tortured to the old velour style after. This was probably done to avoid ruining the newer costume. * The preview of the episode shows Gem's healing of wounds done by jump-cuts, rather than as fades. * This was the final episode shot by director of photography Jerry Finnerman, who had shot every episode since . Camera Operator Al Francis took over primary camera duty on the next episode filmed, . Cast *Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) and Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov) do not appear in this episode. * This was DeForest Kelley's personal favorite episode. Other Information *In the United Kingdom, the BBC skipped this episode in all runs of the series through to the early 1990s, due to its violent content. It was finally shown for the first time on . Production Timeline * Story outline by Joyce Muskat, * Story outline, * Second draft teleplay, . * Filmed in late July 1968 and early August 1968. Links and References VHS edition available through Amazon under ISBN 6300988597. Main cast * William Shatner as Kirk * Leonard Nimoy as Spock * DeForest Kelley as McCoy * James Doohan as Scott * George Takei as Sulu Guest Stars * Kathryn Hays as Gem * Alan Bergmann as Lal * Willard Sage as Thann * Davis Roberts as Dr. Ozaba * Jason Wingreen as Dr. Linke * William Blackburn as Hadley (uncredited) * Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli (uncredited) * Richard Geary as Security Guard (uncredited) References bends, the; blood; decompression chamber; energy transfer device; Gamma Vertis IV; Minara; Minara II; Minara system; Minarans; nitrogen; Ritter scale; sand bats; sickbay; telepathy; Vians. DVD Media Information * Star Trek: The Original Series, Volume 32 (original two episode single-disc release) * ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' - The Complete Third Season (disc 3 of the set) External Links * |next= |lastair= |nextair= }} Empath, The de:Der Plan der Vianer es:The Empath fr:The Empath nl:The Empath